Another controversy has hit the regions premier business school- University Business School (UBS) of Panjab University,after one of its faculty members,Neha Gulati,levelled allegations of sexual harrassment against department chairperson Prof A K Vashisht and Prof Dinesh Gupta.

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Gulati works as an assistant professor with the department. As per official information,Gulati had moved a complaint against the accused before PU authorities on April 15 and filed two complaints against Prof Gupta with the UT Police on May 1.

The sexual harassment committee of the university,which was supposed to meet on Thursday,did not meet as Gulati was on leave. Now,the committee is likely to meet on May 14. The meeting has been postponed to next week, said Dean Students Welfare (Women),Kalpna Mahajan.

Sources informed that differences between Gulati and the accused professors reportedly began when UBS had started the process of conducting group discussions (GDs) and interviews of students seeking admissions to the institute.

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The department had started the process of GDs and interviews from April 11 and ended on April 23. She alleged that both the accused had asked her to make some altercation in marks awarded to one of the candidates and one of the professors also manhandled her.

Sources informed that GDs and interviews went well on April 11,however differences emerged on April 12,when the GD session was chaired by Prof Gupta,and Neha Gulati was the coordinator of the session. However,she reached the department late and when she tried to enter the GD room,the room was bolted from inside,following which she reportedly went to the chairperson. One of the professors requesting anonymity said she had some altercation with the chairperson and Prof Dinesh Gupta. April 13 and 14 were off days,and then on April 15,she was reportedly suspended from the Board of Control by the chairperson. With this,the department witnessed high drama and even the GDs and interviews,which were supposed to start begin at 9 am on April 15,began at 12.40 pm.

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The situation was brought under control only when the PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover and other university officials intervened. On April 15,she filed a complaint with the authorities.

Sources at the public window of the UT Police Headquarter,Sector 9, confirmed that they had received two complaints of sexual harassment from Neha Gulati. Prof Vashisht refused to comment on the issue. Despite repeated attempts,Prof Gupta was not available for his comments.